Effect of stockperson-dairy cow interaction to mammary gland health

Abstract

Mastitis harms animal welfare. This disease is usually caused by faults in milking hygiene. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the effect of stockpersom-dairy cow interaction of different milking parlours, in the same farm, on the occurence of mastitis and mammary gland infection. Five milking parlours from the same farm in Poços de Caldas-MG/Brazil were analysed, in a total of 295 dairy cows. evaluation of stockperson-dairy cow interaction's quality, as well as its effects upon cow's behaviour were carried out through direct and continuous observations during milking sessions using focal sampling. Strip cup test, California Mastitis Tests (CMT) and microbiological exams were made for the mastitis diagnosis. The occurrences of seven stockpersons behavioural categories (talk (T), touch (TO), call (C), hit (H), shout (S) , push (P) and twist tail (TT)) and four of cows (defecation (D), urination (U), rumination ® and movements of legs (MOV) were recorded. The results were analysed from the statistical test Qui-Square and ANOVA (one way). There were statistical differences (P<0,05) in the stockperson actions and occurrence of mammary infection by Staphylococcus aureus. However, the stockperson-dairy cow interaction didn't influence in the occurrence of mastitis. The presence of the calf during milking and the space for the cow in the milking parlour can provide good animal welfare and soften negative actions from milking man. © Wageningen Academic Publishers The Netherlands, 2005.